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Small Caravan Identification
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Pauln



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:30 pm    Post subject: Small Caravan Identification Reply with quote

I have been offered a small 9' late 1950's/1960's caravan. The owner thinks its a Sprite lightweight-it has plastic windows.
Does anyone know of this van?I will try to get pictures on here.
The van hasn't been used for about 6 years and is a convelescent home for spiders, it has some water damage to two corners but at £25 it is worth a try.
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rangerover125



Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Posts: 262

PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

By plastic windows do you mean plastic in place of glass or are they moulded plastic windows? If it is a sprite with moulded plastic windows then you are looking at 1980 onwards. Any chance of a photo
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Pauln



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The windows are flat single skin plastic [ possibly acrylic ]. I will try to get photos.
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Pauln



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 2:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



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Pauln



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ive been told its 9ft long and ive been told its called a sprite lightweight and does anybody have the idea of weight before i buy it?
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Stephen J



Joined: 22 Mar 2009
Posts: 47

PostPosted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 4:41 pm    Post subject: this little caravan Reply with quote

Well this little caravan has go to be (Sam Alper) Alperson Products (Sprite) which went on to be known as the Spite 400 in later years. they might have been cheap and cheerful as the saying goes, all the same folks had many happy years of using his products.
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rangerover125



Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Posts: 262

PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thats a sprite alright just got rid of its larger 12ft brother, for £25 I'd grab it quick, its worth that for the gas lights. Steve
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Pauln



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:02 pm    Post subject: Sprite Reply with quote

We have bought the above caravan but the local " little darlings " have broken into it and snapped the timber in the door frame forcing the door.
The owner [who has had it from new ] told me that the local kids, some time ago, forced it into a wall damaging the corner and on investigation all the timber has rotted away in one corner. Is it worth taking the time and money to restore or scrap it?
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Uncle Alec



Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 734
Location: Manchester

PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very easy repair. I wouldn't look on it as a big job. Do it; save it; view it as an improvement. You'll be prouder of it if you fix it yourself.
Presumably it should be ordinary household glass in the windows? Save the perspex if it's saveable; either make a template from it or transport it to a glazier. The frames come apart quite easily.
I have often thought about replacing household glass in caravans with acrylic sheet for safety reasons; maybe that's what's happened here?
Value-wise you won't ever get much for it, but the fun you'll have in it will more than make up for that.
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rangerover125



Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Posts: 262

PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please whatever you do dont scrap it, I've restored a lot worse and if its facing scrap I'll give it a new home lol
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Pauln



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I bought it and have started to restore it. Cheap and cheerfull doesn't cover it.When I removed the rotten boards from one end, there is hardly any timber to support the panels and no insulation at all. Does anyone have any idea how I find the year, the chassis plate is very corroded?
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